1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with reduced calorie flavored popcorns, optionally sweetened only with fruit juices, and having taste and mouth feel characteristics closely analogous to their full calorie counterparts. More particularly, it is concerned with such flavored popcorns wherein the flavored toppings thereof have a relatively high proportion of polydextrose, with the resultant popcorns having a calorie content of up to about 100 calories per ounce, and more preferably up to about 85 calories per ounce. The most preferred popcorns of the invention have calorie contents on the order of 60-65 calories per ounce, representing a 50% reduction in calories as compared with conventional flavored popcorns.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many consumers enjoy flavored popcorns, the most typical being caramel, fruit-flavored and cinnamon-flavored popcorns. The traditional toppings applied to popcorn to create the flavored varieties are relatively high in calories (for example, typical caramel corn has 120-130 calories per ounce), owing to the use of large quantities of sucrose and corn sweeteners therein. This has created a concern among health-conscious consumers, and consequently, attempts have been made to produce reduced calorie flavored popcorns. However, the goal of calorie reduction cannot be achieved simply by reducing or eliminating sugar together with use of artificial high potency sweeteners; the resultant flavored toppings simply do not meet the dictates of consumer demand insofar as taste and mouth feel are concerned.
There is accordingly a real and unsatisfied need in the art for flavored popcorn toppings having significantly reduced calorie contents which at the same time closely mimic the organoleptic properties of conventional, high calorie toppings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,233 described in Example 44 a sugarless soft candy caramel which includes polydextrose as a sugar substitute. However, this candy contains a substantial fraction of fat by virtue of the presence of cream and evaporated milk; on a calculated basis, this formulation derives about 18% of its caloric content from fat. In addition, this product is designed for as is consumption, and would be totally unsuited as a topping for popcorn, being too chewy an virtually impossible to evenly apply.
Old-Fashioned Candymaking by Jun Roth (1974) describes the preparation of sponge candies which are made by the addition of large quantities of baking soda during the last stages of the candymaking operation. Baking soda is added to foam up the candy to an aerated mass. When cooled, the texture of the candy lacks the glasslike quality of a brittle, but has a porous appearance. A sponge candy recipe set forth in this book advocates the use of very significant quantities of sugar and corn syrup. As a consequence, such a sponge candy would be very high in calories. Moreover, it would not be applicable as a topping for popcorn.